


SuperBowl Ring

by bunnysworld



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, M/M, Marriage Proposal, superbowl
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-06
Updated: 2017-02-06
Packaged: 2018-09-22 11:28:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,022
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9605837
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bunnysworld/pseuds/bunnysworld
Summary: In which Arthur is a player on one of the teams in the SuperBowl, just...not, and Merlin made up a cheesy speech.





	

**Author's Note:**

> You didn't think you'd get away without a SuperBowl story this year? Think again ;)

Merlin stood in the stands and wasn’t too happy as he followed the game. This was big, a lot bigger than they had thought it would ever get, but Arthur playing his first SuperBowl…the thought alone made Merlin’s breath hitch.

Arthur looked so good in red and Merlin wanted to run down to the field and just jump him. He knew he wouldn’t even get that far as there was enough security to hold him back before he even reached the field. 

Then again, the seat he had wasn’t bad at all, there was really exquisite catering and if he wanted to, Merlin could have drunk himself into oblivion. He had just picked at the provided food and sipped from his soda once in a while. He was way too nervous to eat and didn’t want to miss a single second of the game. 

Only a few people of the team knew that he wasn’t just ‘a friend’ to Arthur and in this sport it was unfortunately better to keep things like that secret, but no matter how the game ended, Arthur would walk away with a ring tonight. Merlin felt it pressing against his thigh where he had buried it deep inside the pocket of his pants. 

There, Arthur was on the field again. Merlin had never been a huge fan of American Football but he had learned a lot about the sport since he’d met Arthur and of course he had known about the importance of the final before that. 

Merlin groaned when the play didn’t go as planned and the other team got the ball again. This didn’t go the way everyone had hoped. Arthur’s quarterback had made a few mistakes and no matter how hard the rest of the team worked, the other team was just as good and – as much as it pained Merlin to even think it – even better in some things. 

He’d never thought that the other team would manage to tie the game after they had been 25 points behind for a long time. That he was about to witness a historical sports event – the first final that needed an overtime – wasn’t to Merlin’s liking. He might not have been an expert but even he saw the body language of Arthur’s team mates. They had not given up, but they all knew that chances of winning this were slim to non-existent. 

As the other team scored again and cheers for them exploded all around, Merlin sighed. How on earth would he be able to console Arthur now? Losing a game during regular season was bad enough. But losing the SuperBowl didn’t mean you were the second-best team in the country, it meant that you were nothing. All the efforts of the season forgotten, you were the loser. 

Merlin watched Arthur pulling the helmet off his head, not even caring about running a hand through his flattened blond hair, and making his way to the locker rooms right away. He felt the urge to send him a message, but knew it wouldn’t be well-received. He’d seen Arthur in ‘we lost a game’-mood before and knew that he needed a bit of space. This space would be a lot bigger now that it was a ‘we lot the most important game of my career’-mood. So Merlin just stood there, not really seeing the ongoings on the field or watching how the other team took away the trophy. 

A mobile buzzed.

“Merlin?”

Someone shook his shoulder.

“Hm?”

“Merlin, wake up, the game is over, we’re going home.”

Merlin blinked and then stretched. Tiredly taking in his surroundings, he noticed they were in Percy’s living room and he had fallen asleep on Arthur, using his thigh as a pillow. The game was over and all he could see on TV was the confetti that celebrated the team they hadn’t rooted for. Oh, a dream. 

Sitting up and rubbing his eyes, Merlin yawned, not really hearing the teasing of everyone else. It was the same every year, he came along, not really caring about the team, falling asleep sometime during the night. 

Arthur, whose active football-experience was limited to wearing the jersey of his favourite team, smiled at him. “Let’s go home.”

Merlin scrambled up, found his sneakers in front of the couch, took the jacket Arthur was holding for him, nodded a good-bye to their friends and trotted into the night after Arthur. 

The cold outside woke him up a little. 

“Did I miss much?”

Arthur chuckled. “What do you still remember seeing?”

Frowning, Merlin tried to figure out what he had seen and what had just been in his dream. “You in a sexy football uniform?”

Arthur laughed. “I’m always sexy, but that wasn’t on TV.”

“Not sure I want to share that with everyone, either.” Merlin dug his hands into the pockets of his jeans. There was…oh, the part with the ring hadn’t been a dream. “Arthur…”

“I am really happy that you see it that way.” Arthur stopped when Merlin did. “What?”

“I’m sorry I fell asleep, since I had planned to…I’m…I want to ask…” Merlin held the ring in his fist and was wide awake now. 

Arthur blinked. “Planned? What?”

Worrying his lower lip, Merlin opened his hand and held it out to Arthur. “It’s Superbowl and there’s usually a ring involved and…” He broke off and just looked at Arthur.

Looking from Merlin to the ring and back, Arthur swallowed. “You’re…what exactly are you asking?”

Merlin took a deep breath and tried to remember the little speech he had made up for this. “When…when I met you, it was like…you know…touchdown…and even though life threw some 5-yard-pentalties at us…we always gained space again and…”

To his surprise, Arthur started to chuckle. “Oh…”

“Merlin, do yourself a favour and stop making football references.”

“But…”

Stepping close, Arthur brought his face close to Merlin’s. “Whatever it is, you’re asking, the answer is yes.”

“I know you know pretty well what I’m asking.” Merlin’s face lit up in a huge smile. 

Arthur nodded and kissed him.


End file.
